Ceremony Information

Some of the many responsibilities of the Chesapeake Mayor's Commission on Veterans Affairs include maintenance and upkeep of the Chesapeake Veterans Memorial located directly in front of the City Hall building. In addition, the Commission conducts two ceremonies during the year to honor our Veterans; past, present, and future. The first ceremony of the year is the Memorial Day Ceremony which is held on the last Monday of May. The second ceremony is the Veterans Day Ceremony which is held on November 11th of each year. The Veterans Affairs Commission is comprised solely of volunteers who serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. Each Commissioner firmly believes that recognizing and honoring our Veterans for their contributions to the American way of life is pivotal to maintaining the freedoms and lifestyle that each of us enjoy on a daily basis here in Chesapeake.

Our goal is to make the Memorial Day Ceremony and the Veterans Day Ceremony community events which will reflect the pride and patriotism of our great city of Chesapeake. We are always looking for volunteers or sponsors for ceremonies and even prospective Commission members. It truly is a labor of love. If you have ideas or suggestions on how to improve our ceremonies or would like to volunteer, we would be delighted to hear from you. Just click on the Contact Information link and get in touch with any member of the Mayor's Commission on Veterans Affairs via phone or email. Contact Information »

A belated "thanks" to Mr. Michael "Mike" Huizenga from the Veterans Affairs Commission. We are most grateful to Mr. Huizenga for allowing us to display on our website the photos he took during the Veterans Day Ceremony 2008. His photos captured the essence of the ceremony and provided a professional documentation for each facet of the ceremony. His photos are easily discernible as they are the ones "in focus with brilliant colors." We are most appreciative and salute Mr. Huizenga for sharing the Veterans Day Ceremony through the eye of his camera with the citizens of Chesapeake.

Latest Personal Install Ceremony

Our latest Personal Install Ceremony was conducted on June 21, 2009 by Johnny Moye for the Robinson family. Sheryll Robinson and her children surprised husband and father, John Robinson, with a memorial plaque for Father's Day. A few of the pictures commemorating the event are shown below and we wish to thank the Robinson family for their support of the Chesapeake Veterans Memorial.

Thanks Mr. Larry

The Veterans Affairs Commission would like to thank Mr. Larry from OneOfLarrys.com for the great pictorial coverage of the 2009 Memorial Day Ceremony and also for allowing us to use the photos on our website. His professional quality photos provided excellent documentation of a very special Memorial Day Ceremony.

A First for the Chesapeake Veterans Memorial

On July 31, 2009 DC2 (SW/AW) Alex Daniels assigned to the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN reenlisted in a ceremony held at the Chesapeake Veterans Memorial. This was the first such ceremony held at the memorial site since its dedication in November 2002. Captain John Meier, Executive Officer of the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN, presided over the ceremony and administered the reenlistment oath. Best of luck to Petty Officer Daniels and his family as they continue in service to our country. A few of the pictures taken during the ceremony can be seen below.

Schuchman Family Personal Install Ceremony

A personal install ceremony for the Schuchman family was held on December 14, 2009 at the Chesapeake Veterans Memorial. It was foggy and chilly but that was easily overcome by the warm and patriotic spirit of George and Rose Schuchman. Mr. Schuchman is a proud veteran of World War II and is also very proud of his son, a retired NYPD police officer, who does volunteer work to commemorate service of our veterans. Pictures of the install can be seen below and we wish to thank the Schuchmans for their support of the Chesapeake Veterans Memorial.